Vanadium(IV) oxide thin films on glass and silicon from the atmospheric pressure chemical vapour deposition reaction of VOCl3 and water

The dual source atmospheric pressure chemical vapour deposition (APCVD) reaction of VOCl3 and H2O was used to prepare thin films of vanadium oxides on glass and silicon substrates. The thin films were characterised by X-ray diffraction, Raman spectroscopy X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy and scanning electron microscopy. At reactor temperatures above 600 degreesC with a gas-phase excess of water over VOCl3, vanadium(IV) oxide thin films were produced which show a thermochromic transition temperature of 67 degreesC. The APCVD process is directly compatible with high throughput float-glass production enabling the use of a thin film of VO2 as an intelligent window coating. With reactor temperatures below 600 degreesC or with a gas-phase excess of VOCl3 over water, V2O5 thin films were produced. Vanadium(IV) oxide thin films could also be prepared on silicon substrates from the APCVD reaction of VOCl3 and H2O, which opens up further technological applications for the APCVD of VO2 thin films. (C) 2004 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.